Buddleia plant named ‘SMNBDL’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Buddleia plant named ‘SMNBDL’, characterized by its compact, upright and outwardly spreading plant habit; freely branching habit, thick stems with short internodes; dense and bushy appearance; broad, leathery and durable leaves; freely flowering habit; large and dense conical inflorescences with numerous violet-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Buddleia davidii.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SMNBDL’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct Buddleia plant, botanically known as Buddleia davidii and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘SMNBDL’.

The new Buddleia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Grand Haven, Mich. The objective of the breeding program was to create new compact Buddleia plants with strong branches and attractive flower coloration.

The new Buddleia plant originated from a cross-pollination conducted by the Inventor in 2012 in Grand Haven, Mich. of a proprietary selection of Buddleia davidii identified as code designation UC 701, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with Buddleia davidii ‘Pink Delight’, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Buddleia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Grand Haven, Mich. in 2014.

Asexual reproduction of the new Buddleia plant by softwood stem cuttings in a controlled environment in Grand Haven, Mich. since 2014 has shown that the unique features of this new Buddleia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Buddleia have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘SMNBDL’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘SMNBDL’ as a new and distinct Buddleia plant:

-   -   1. Compact, upright and outwardly spreading plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit, thick stems with short internodes;         dense and bushy appearance.     -   3. Broad, leathery and durable leaves.     -   4. Freely flowering habit.     -   5. Large and dense conical inflorescences with numerous         violet-colored flowers.     -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Buddleia differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in flower color as plants of the female parent selection have pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Buddleia differ primarily from plants of the male parent, ‘Pink Delight’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Buddleia are more compact than plants of         ‘Pink Delight’.     -   2. Plants of the new Buddleia and ‘Pink Delight’ differ in         flower color as plants of ‘Pink Delight’ have pink-colored         flowers.

Plants of the new Buddleia can also be compared to plants of Buddleia weyeriana X Buddleia davidii ‘Pink Pagoda’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 23,214. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Buddleia differ primarily from plants of ‘Pink Pagoda’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Buddleia are more compact than plants of         ‘Pink Pagoda’.     -   2. Inflorescences of plants of the new Buddleia are larger and         denser than inflorescences of plants of ‘Pink Pagoda’.     -   3. Plants of the new Buddleia and ‘Pink Pagoda’ differ in flower         color as flowers of plants of ‘Pink Pagoda’ are pink in color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Buddleia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Buddleia plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘SMNBDL’ grown in an outdoor nursery.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical inflorescence of a plant of ‘SMNBDL’ grown in an outdoor nursery.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the summer in ground beds in an outdoor nursery and in polyethylene-covered greenhouses in Grand Haven, Mich. and under cultural practices typical of commercial production. Plants were two years old when the photographs and description were taken. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 18° C. to 27° C. and night temperatures ranged from 5° C. to 10° C. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

Botanical Classification

-   -   -   Buddleia davidii ‘SMNBDL’.

-   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Buddleia             davidii identified as code designation UC 701, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Buddleia davidii ‘Pink Delight’,             not patented.

-   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By softwood stem cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots plant, summer.—About two to three             weeks at temperatures ranging from 21° C. to 29° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted plant, summer.—About 30 days at             temperatures ranging from 21° C. to 29° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; typically             white in color, actual color of the roots is dependent on             substrate composition, water quality, fertilizer, substrate             temperature and physiological age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense.

-   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Deciduous perennial shrub; compact,             upright and outwardly spreading plant habit; rounded             appearance; thick stems, short internodes and dense and             bushy appearance; vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 60 cm.         -   Plant width (spread).—About 83 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Quantity: Freely branching habit with             about eight primary lateral branches developing per plant;             pinching enhances lateral branch development. Length: About             48 cm to 52 cm. Diameter: About 8 mm. Internode length:             About 4 cm to 4.5 cm. Strength: Strong. Aspect: Erect to             about 35° from vertical. Texture: Pubescent; with             development, woody. Color, developing: Close to 145C. Color,             developed: Close to 199B with striations, close to 199A.

-   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement and appearance.—Opposite, simple; leaves thick             and durable.         -   Length.—About 19.2 cm.         -   Width.—About 6.8 cm.         -   Shape.—Lanceolate.         -   Apex.—Acute to acuminate.         -   Base.—Cuneate.         -   Margin.—Serrate; slightly undulate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Slightly pubescent,             coriaceous; venation prominent.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A;             towards the base, close to 138C. Developing leaves, lower             surface: Close to 193B. Fully expanded leaves, upper             surface: Close to 139A; edges, close to 141A and 141B;             venation, close to 145A. Fully expanded leaves, lower             surface: Close to 193C; venation, close to 145C.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 5 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 145C.

-   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Single salverform flowers             arranged on terminal and axillary panicles; inflorescences             face mostly outwardly; panicles broadly conical in shape;             freely flowering habit with more than 1,000 flowers             developing per inflorescence; flowers face upright to             outwardly depending on position on the panicle; flowers             persistent.         -   Fragrance.—Fragrant; sweet, honey-like, pleasant.         -   Natural flowering season.—Long flowering period, plants             flower continuously from mid-summer into the early autumn in             Michigan.         -   Flower buds.—Height: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm.             Shape: Lanceolate. Color: Towards the base, close to 76D;             mid-section, close to 81A; towards the apex, close to 83D.         -   Inflorescence length.—About 14 cm to 19.5 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 5 cm to 6.5 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 7 mm.         -   Flower depth.—About 1.2 cm.         -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Typically four in a single             whorl. Length: About 3 mm. Width: About 3 mm. Shape: Oblong             to obovate. Apex: Obtuse. Base: Slightly acute. Margin:             Entire; slightly undulate and ruffled. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; soft. Color: Developing             petals, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 86C. Fully             developed petals, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 84A;             color fades only slightly with development.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Typically four in a single             whorl. Length: About 2 mm. Width: About 0.5 mm. Shape:             Narrowly triangular, unguiculate. Apex: Acute. Base:             Cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Slightly pubescent. Color, upper surface: Towards the base,             close to 145C and towards the apex, close to 143A. Color,             lower surface: Close to 145B.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 5 mm. Diameter: About 0.5 mm.             Strength: Strong. Angle: Upright to outwardly. Texture:             Pubescent. Color: Close to 145B.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 1 mm. Diameter: Less than 1 mm.             Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to             145B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Typically             four. Filament length: About 0.5 mm. Filament color: Close             to 26A. Anther length: About 1 mm. Anther shape: Oblong.             Anther color: Close to 155B. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen             color: Close to 11C. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One.             Pistil length: About 1 mm. Stigma shape: Oblong. Stigma             color: Close to 144B.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been             observed on plants of the new Buddleia to date.

-   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Buddleia have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Buddleia     plants to date.

-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Buddleia have been observed to     have good garden performance and tolerate rain, wind and to tolerate     temperatures ranging from about −31° C. to about 38° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Buddleia plant named ‘SMNBDL’ as illustrated and described. 